


I Can't Go On

by mizufallsfromkumo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Animal Ears, But mostly Shiro, Everyone wants to pet Lance, Everything will probably be wrong, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Lance (Voltron) is a Dork, Light Angst, Light Petting, M/M, Paladin Shiro, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Protective Lance (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) is a Dork, Tails, Virtual Reality, Werewolf Senses, Wolf Lance, Written before Season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 19:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14900558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: Lance’s ears were twisting and rotating on his head non-stop.Trying to catch every little sound they could hear in the forest around them.  Moving almost on their own accord to things the rest of them can’t hear. And won’t hear until a threat is like right on top of them.Shiro can’t stop watching them.





	I Can't Go On

**Author's Note:**

> So I was going to wait to see if there was a scene in the season 6 DnD episode where Shiro asks Lance if he can pet/touch his ears. So I could get stuff right, if there wasn't one...but then I got impatient and just decided to do it. Partly because I just needed it.
> 
> Everything will probably be wrong when season 6 airs, but whatever.
> 
> I hope you like it.

Lance’s ears were twisting and rotating on his head non-stop.  

Trying to catch every little sound they could hear in the forest around them.  Moving almost on their own accord to things the rest of them can’t hear. And won’t hear until a threat is like right on top of them.

Shiro can’t stop watching them.

He  _ couldn’t _ stop watching them no matter how hard he tried.

Ever since, they ran into Hunk in the fantastical “Altean version of Space DnD” they were currently in, and he took them to where Lance was, Shiro could not stop watching his ears.

First he was mostly surprised by Lance’s wolfish appearance in the game.

...Or was it more of simulation?  

Whatever it was, the ears, claw like nails, and tail Lance had were a surprise, to mostly  _ everyone _ .  As Shiro could hear them kind of muttering on the outside of everything.  

But to something of Lance’s defence, the stats, appearance, and background were all formulated by the simulations.  Based on personality and skills already possess by the individual. 

The ears and wolf like features were probably manifications to Lance’s skill’s as the team's sharpshooter.  Distance detection, and blending in with the nature around him. Along Lance general sense of loyalty to his friends, and family oriented nature, or something. 

More than anything else... _ Pidge! _

Jokes and all aside, Lance’s features were something else.

For one they made him far more expressive.  

Not that Lance wasn’t  _ already _ the most expressive out of the group to begin with.  It was just perhaps easier in terms of micro-expressions, or sudden shifts in atmosphere that Lance was more intune with it.

But, there was something  _ adorable  _ about Lance ears standing tall on his hand and tail wagging a mile a second over whatever excited him.

Another being, his senses were heightened to that of an actual wolves. 

Something that saved their necks like three times since he joined them up.  They started following Lance’s lead whenever he stopped suddenly and turned.  Ears scanning around while they all fell silent beside him. Only relaxing when Lance relaxed, or moving when he instructed them too.

Lance’s ears always seemed to be moving in someway.

Usually to a sound in the forest somewhere that only he could hear.  But sometimes to whoever was talking, without having to look at them.  As a sign that he was not ignoring them if he was focusing on something else or lounging around.

Shiro seriously could not stop watching them.

Which he might not have though too much about, if he didn’t find it  _ adorable. _

Or if he didn’t want to pet Lance’s head.

Scratch behind his ears, and pet along his head.  

See if Lance’s hair was soft or wirey, or a mixture of both.  Shiro always remembered his neighbor’s dog’s head always being soft.  And the zenned like look the dog would get when his neighbor would tug lightly on their ears.  Or how calm it would get whenever it was pet and scratched.

And Shiro really needed to stop that line of thought.

But he can’t.

Because he really wanted to pet Lance’s head and touch his ears.

But was that like... _ rude _ .

In terms of the simulations world around them, was it like rude to ask a wolf-person if they would pet their head?  Like some big cultural no-no outside of packs. Would Lance find it weird?

Or was it just rude or weird in general?

For that reason, Shiro had managed to stop himself from asking since he first saw Lance.  And succeed in not asking him most of the day.

But now they were all huddled in a cave to rest for the night.

And Lance ears are moving like crazy.  

His body completely rigid and body language nervous as his ears jump from one sound to another outside of the cave.  Ones only he can hear. Probably more than Shiro could even only imagine, as a lot of stuff moved around on Earth at night, and well most of the universe.  Every new sound never seeming to give Lance little room to relax.

Shiro seemed to be the only one that noticed.

Everyone else was tending to the fire or cooking.  Or trying to figure out what they’re next move would be.

And you know what,  _ quazinak it _ !

Shiro got up from where he was seated in the cave. His armor clacking together in his movement, which caused on of Lance’s ears to to a 180 at the sound.  But then it flipped back to the mouth of the cave. Obviously not finding the sound of Shiro moving around a threat at all.

“Hey Lance,”  Shiro said easily as he moved to seat by Lance.

Lance jumped a little, and turned sharply to Shiro with the smallest of yelps.  “Oh, hey, Shiro.”

“A lot going on out there?”  Shiro asked lightly, with a gesture to the mouth of the cave.

Lance hummed lightly, as his right ear whipped around to a sound only head could hear.  Then his whole head whipped around sharply. A breath of a whine in the back of his throat, then a shadow of a growl.  It low and dark, a volume only Shiro can hear because he’s close to Lance.

The sound doesn’t really surprise Shiro.

Lance had growled and snarled at a creature a bear like creature they encountered shortly after meeting up with him.   Ears back, tail high, with one sharp step forward. And the bear-thing quickly decided Lance was not something to mess with and turned tail.  

And he had growled at Allura when she first fired an arrow at him.

But it hits Shiro that Lance his being protective of the cave.

Probably because the team was in there rather just  _ him  _ being in the space.  As throughout the day Lance hard more than fall into his roll of distantly finding threats before they were on top of them.  Like they were his pack or something. Something Lance had mentions not having to Allura when she asked him.

Which honestly touches Shiro’s heart.

Doesn’t matter that Hunk and Allura had put a mixture of herbs and wards to keep threats out.  To help put everyone at ease. Lance wasn’t having it.

Lance growled deeply again

“Hey, Lance, you can relax, nothing is going to come in the cave.”  Shiro stated easily.

“I know.”  Lance admitted sheepishly.  Turning to glance at Shiro before he gaze feel to the floor.  His ears falling back against his brown hair. “I just...hear  _ everything _ , and like…”  He continued, trailing off.

Shiro doesn’t know what Lance is going to say.  

But he wasn’t going to press.

The point of the simulation was a new bonding experience other than going round after rounds with gladiators and being in everyone’s mind holes.  Not a time to air out issues, or pick at the backstories they were all given.

“Can I ask you something?”  Shiro asked suddenly. Jumping to the reason he walked over in the first place.  Because he was not going to chicken out and regret it when the whole simulation is over.  Shiro was going to touch Lance’s head on way or another.

“Sure, shoot,”  Lance grinned out, ears perking up on his head.

How Shiro did not collapse to a pile of mush at the sight, Shiro will never know.

“Can I touch your ears and pet your head?”  Shiro asked carefully and politely.

Lance turned and blinked at him.

“You can say ‘no’ if you want to.”  Shiro stated quickly, trying to swallow the heat growing on his cheeks.  “Or if it’s weird, or like rude to me to ask. I really won’t mind...I’m not verse on wolf-people etiquette or anything.”  Shiro realized he was rambling but there was nothing he could do to make it stop. It was all just coming out like an apology word vomit.  “It just looks so soft and...I just had to ask.”

Lance snorted suddenly.  “No, it’s totally fine if you want to pet me.”

“Really?”

The younger nodded quickly, his tail wagging at a growing place.  “Yeah, I don’t mind.”

And then he  _ leaned _ forward.

Presenting his head and ears to Shiro.  

Shiro raised his hand slowly to rest on Lance’s head.  His brown hair velvety soft under Shiro’s bare fingertips, the texture was completely different from human hair.  And he’s ears...were like a whole other level of softness. Shiro can’t stop running his hand over Lance’s head.

Lance’s ears flattened softly against his head as Shiro pet him.  Instantly seeming to relax under Shiro’s touch. Almost kind of leaning into it a little for just a little more pressure.  His tail never stopping in it’s wagging.

Shiro experimentally moved his hand to scratch Lance’s scalp.

A pleasant sound whine escaped Lance’s throat almost instantly.  And he leaned slightly to angle his head to allow Shiro a better reach or make him reach just the right spot.  His tail rapidly wagging behind him as Lance seems to barely manage  _ not _ to melt at the feeling of Shiro’s scratches between his ears.

“Mmm, Shiro, right there.”  Lance whined pleasantly.

“Yeah,”  Shiro returned brightly.  “You like that? That feel good?”

“Really good.”  Lance stated simply, with a moan of a whine.

And out of nowhere, Shiro is suddenly hit with how suggested everything sounded just then.  Causing him to just stop in horror. Eyes wide and cheeks burning at the fact alone hitting him, and then increasing because he actually said it.

Lance whined when Shiro stopped as well.  Moving to peer up at Shiro before him.

And then it must of hit him too because he went stiff too.  A blush of sorts growing across his checks. His eyes suddenly flicker over to the other’s off to the side behind them.  Then back to looking at Shiro.

(Plus Shiro can just hear Lance outside of the simulation go, “Oh holy quazinacking crow, did I...did we...” in the smallest of whispers.  And then for some reason Pidge yelps, while Lance mutters “Shut up dwarf, no one asked you!” It all followed by Coran’s voice declaring there was no kicking.)

“Sorry, I didn’t…”  Shiro started to apologize quickly, trying to look at anything but Lance.  And for some reason settled for staring at his hand on  _ Lance’s head _ .

“No...uh...it fine...I, ugh…” Lance started just as quickly. “Out of context...ugh, I mean, I get it...I could have picked...better words?”

Shiro’s eyes glance down at the other’s words.  Finding him with an odd expression on his face. 

Like his aware of how compromising the situation was...when it wasn’t because they both made it compromising.  And he feels the same way Shiro did about wanting to be shot out of the airlock for the thought crossing his mind in the first place.  There was nothing wrong with anything they said. 

Except his dirty pervert mind grabbing on to it.

They just sort of blink at each other for a moment.

Then laugher bubbles out of Shiro’s throat, and Lance snorts, laughter pouring out of his mouth soon after.  Shiro just started petting and scratching Lance’s head again, which caused Lance’s tail to start wagging like crazy again.  Lance making a series of happy whines and soft yelps at the feeling.

Almost blossoming under Shiro’s vigorous attention again.

“Ahh, I want to pet Lance too!”  Hunk suddenly sounded off to the side.  The sound of his steps echoing quickly against the cave.  “Stop hogging Lance, Shiro, he’s my friend.” Hunk said with no really bite in his voice as he reached out to pet Lance.  “Oh wow, it’s so soft.”

“Hey, I wanna feel it too!”  Pidge suddenly declared, as she hurried over.  

Allura following a few steps behind her.  A cautious expression, the slightly softened at the sight of everyone around Lance.  Who was more than gleaming under the attention. 

“Oh, wow, you’re hair is very soft,”  Allura comment as she pet Lance’s head.

“Aww, thanks guys.”  Lance preens with his eyes closed as Shiro scratched at the back of his ears and Allura copied the action with sparkling eyes.

Lance’s tail is almost a blur under the attention.  He was completely beaming up at all of them excitedly, and nuzzled for more.  His whole body is totally relaxed for the first time that night. 

The sounds the last thing that seem to be on his mind.

Shiro didn’t feel bad about asking at all after.

**Author's Note:**

> Shiro just wanted to pet Lance's head. But they are all messes. And then everyone gets to pet Lance and he is happy. The ending kind of sucks, but I can't think of a better way to end it right now.
> 
> Okay, here is my idea on how the whole DnD episode happens. Everyone is like bored of the usual training and team building exercise, and someone finds or bring up that the Castleship as like an augmented reality, that is kind of like space DnD. Only like there is no dice rolling, the system designs characters for everyone and their stats and backstories/bios (it can all be changed and edited, but it's in Altean and mostly everyone just understand big green button). And the "Dice rolling" is all done by like an algorithm in the system, that is very much like dice rolling in regards to actions. There is also a story they all follow, and every choice made determines the outcome of it all. The system is very subversive, but they are still aware of the others around them. 
> 
> Also, if Lance is not like some con-man/charming thief, who is really just a lost little sweetie separated from his pack, I will fight someone. Because I love the idea so much. And you all can tear it away from my cold dead hands!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic.


End file.
